Not 'Just' Love
by lescribble
Summary: Prequel to the This Thing Called LOVE. Manta has to write about "love" when he knows nothing. NOTHING. Solution? Friends. Result? Unexpected. A 2000-word one-shot about love and its quirks.


**Problem**

"Sensei?"

The person in question looks around the classroom to find the source of the call.

"Sensei!" She looks down from her table and smiles as she sees her student. "Ah Manta-kun! Did you need anything?"

"Ah, yes... Actually, I was wondering if I could change the topic of the homework."

"The essay about love?"

Manta nods. "Can I write something along the lines of family love instead of you know... romantic love?"

She looks at him curiously and wonders "Why?"

"Well, sensei, I've never been involved in any of the sort so I don't think I'll be able to --"

"Don't you have friends who are in relationships?"

"... I... do" he says rather reluctantly.

"Then why don't you start observing them?"

"But--"

"Manta-kun, it's just love. Observe... and _then_ write." She smiles and pats Manta's head.

He was dismissed and he sadly trot outside his university. "It's _just love_ she says. Bah!"

His thoughts were disrupted when out of the blue, "Yo Manta!"

Manta whirls around to see his friend Horo-Horo, waving beside Tamao, who was blushing while holding his hand.

"Want to come along? We were just on our way to visit Yoh and Anna's inn."

It has been quite a while since he last visited his bestfriend. And on top of that, Horo Horo and Tamao could prove an interesting subject for his assignment.

"Are you coming or what?"

Manta looked up to see that the couple were already a few steps ahead of him. "Coming!"

**Solution: Couple 1**

The walk to Funbari Hill was rather uneventful, with the conversation mostly dominated by the loud-mouthed Ainu.

"And then I said _I CAN _EAT ALL THAT, I CAN!" "Honto? Wow, and did you really?" "Of course! And then--"

Manta observed how passionate Horo Horo was in sharing his latest food escapade at his university and that Tamao was really absorbed in everything her boyfriend just narrated.

"Then, I promise that I will cook for you the most delicious dinner this weekend." Tamao blushed as she offered the invitation.

"Yeah!" Horo-Horo punched a fist in the air "I'm really excited."

Really, Horo-Horo's love for food was complimented with Tamao's hobby in cooking.

As Manta glanced to his right, he saw how the couple shared a smile that twinkled in both their eyes. It was obvious to him that they were both happy with each other.

He noted, that perhaps this thing called _love_ was all about sharing your interests.

Soon, they arrived at the Asakura house and found that they were not the first ones there.

"Onni-chan!" called another blue haired Ainu from the gate. Behind her was a sulky looking fellow by the name of Ren Tao.

"Oh! I see you came with shark fin!"

Ren brandished his spear "Baka! If you weren't Pirika's brother I'd slice your head in half!" "HA! Bring it on!" "ArrgH!"

"STOP!" Apparently pissed off, Pirika grabbed Ren's ear and dragged him inside. "Geez! You meet each other for five seconds and we already have to break off your fight?! Seriously!"

Smiling, Tamao offered "Manta-kun, Horo-Horo-kun shall we go inside?"

**Solution: Couple 2**

Throughout dinner he tried to observe Pirika and Ren. The couple recently announced that they were dating, much to the disapproval of Horo Horo.

Manta knew they would be interesting as well.

You see, very much unlike Tamao and Horo Horo's relationship......... theirs was.... not so peaceful.

"Baka! It's called dumpling! Dumpling!" "No it's not, that doesn't look like a dumpling at all! It's more like a cube of flour!" "Don't insult my cooking!!!" "You can't even cook!"

And they proceeded to argue even more. Later on they were getting physical.

Pirika pinched him on the cheek making Ren blush furiously as he snapped her hand away. "Baka! Why did you do that!?" "Because...Wait, are you blushing?!" "SHUT UP!" "You are!" "I said--"

Manta noticed that through all this rowdy argument, both were having fun.

Ren was very much animated in the way he conversed with Pirika, seemingly fond and amused at her spiritedness. Of course, the same applies for her.

Apparently, beneath their trade of jibes and taunts, both shared a hidden grin that Manta would have missed, were he not staring at them for the past hour.

"Ne, who would have thought, they'd complement each other, right?" Yoh, Manta's bestfriend, chuckled beside him.

He briefly wondered since when Yoh started observing Ren and Pirika, then decided it really didn't matter. He simply nodded in agreement.

Perhaps, Manta noted, this thing called _love_ is all about attraction of character and being delighted with each other.

From the other side of Yoh, Anna stood up and primly brings her dishes to the sink.

He notices that Yoh does the same and follows her down to the living room of En Inn.

Yoh and Anna.

The engaged powerful shaman and equally terrifying itako.

Of course they were the first couple he thought of for "Love Observation" but decided otherwise when he found ABSOLUTELY NO TRACES of love between the two.

He concluded that,

1) It was obvious with Horo Horo and Tamao.

2) It was obvious in a different way for Ren and Pirika.

3) It was utterly inexistent between Yoh and Anna.

He would have liked to observe Lyserg and Jeanne but both were currently on a cruise to London. Hence, he remained content with watching the two couples in front of him.

**Solution: Couple 3(?)**

A few hours later, Manta still found himself with a blank piece of paper.

He let out a huge sigh.

"Manta-dono, anything bothering you?" Amidamaru, the spirit ghost floated beside him.

"Ah... yes, this essay about love--! I can't seem to write it after all the info I've gathered!"

"Info?" Amidamaru quickly scans the dinner table - from the drunk Horo Horo to the arguing Ren and Pirika, to the singing Ryu and finally to the giggling Tamao. Literally everyone was making noise!

"May I suggest then, that you move to a more quiet environment?"

"Mm. Perhaps that will do the trick."

Manta slowly descended the steps, noting that in one room, Anna and Yoh sat peacefully, watching a singing contest between Bob Love and Ringo.

They weren't talking at all but the TV noise might bother him, so he decided to stay just outside the room where a table stood.

He sat in one of the high chairs, paper and pen in hand, determined to write this piece.

Once more he looked to the couple on his right.

He remembers how Anna would shout at Yoh to do more weights, how she'd snap if he dozed off during training, how she'd slap him senseless after he failed a task.

He also recalls how Yoh would fearfully run to the grocery for her, cook dinner for her, clean the house for her etc etc.

Love? Those two?

Nah.

Theirs was more along the lines of a violent owner and her dog.

"Yoh" Anna suddenly said. "Hmm?" "Tomorrow, let's increase your weights."

"What?! B-But Aannna!" "And here's your book on training, I'll better not catch you sleeping again!"

Manta sweat-dropped, he didn't notice when Anna stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

Anna caught Manta staring at them. As she passed by him, she cocked her head to the side and lifted one of her eyebrows. "Well?!"

"Hehe" he began nervously "I know that Yoh is a slacker and all, but do you really have to be so harsh?" Manta asked.

"Harsh? He can take it. He is my fiance after all." She paused for a while. "Besides, he is the man I love and I will do anything to help him become Shaman King."

Manta nods in agreement, "Ahh, for the sake of the Shaman King dre--- ehh?!!....... wait, LOVE?!"

He gapes at Anna, who simply gives her a look as if to say _What's so surprising about it?_

Manta turns to look at Yoh and he wondered if he heard their exchange.

Later, he joins Yoh at the spring outside their inn.

And for the umpteenth time he listens to Yoh complain about Anna.

"Yoh-kun?" Manta breaks Yoh's rants momentarily. "Huh? What is it Manta?"

"Well, I'm not so sure about this, arranged marriage thing... but, if she's _that _unbearable, can't you just refuse the engagement?"

Yoh's eyes opened wide as he stutteringly and reluctantly replies "Ahh.. well... that is... it is possible... to cancel the... a-agreement... erm..."

Manta stares at Yoh, noting that there is a growing shade of red on his friend's cheeks.

And it suddenly dawns on Manta, that maybe the reason why Yoh has put up with her all this time is simply because, "You actually like her?!"

Yoh flushes even redder. "L-like? Err.. Ehehe. Hmm... No... rather...Uhh.. how should I say this...?"

Manta's eyes widen even more. "You love her," he says simply.

It wasn't even a question.

Yoh sinks lower until his head was completely submerged in water.

Manta sighs. He has to reconsider his view on love.

**Result**

The following day, Manta sees Yoh waiting outside their school.

"Yoh!" he waves, running toward the sleepy looking lad.

"What are you doing here? Didn't you say you were going home already?"

"Yeah, I'm waiting for Anna." Yoh pouted. "I thought you had cram school."

"I'm rushing there right now! Well, see you!" "Alright!"

Moments later, Anna arrived. She saw Manta running away, blinked once and started walking home with Yoh.

As Manta neared his destination, he realized that he forgot one of his books on his desk.

Cursing himself for breaking his perfect attendance, Manta decides to run back taking a short-cut instead of the normal way.

When he rounded the second corner, he glances at a couple headed towards the opposite direction.

Manta stopped. From their retreating backs, he could tell who they were despite the distance. It was Yoh and Anna.

And it amazed him, what a sweet sight the uncanny couple made as they walked in the direction of the slowly setting sun.

_Despite carrying her books, her bag, his own books and his own bag... he had a free hand, especially reserved for hers._

And he just stood there, transfixed, at the simplicity and complexity of it all.

Here he was, faced with the reality that _love_ was happy enough to be subtle, to be just there, not needing any outward proclamations.

It was as if it stemmed from pure understanding, trust, loyalty, care and concern for the other.

And perhaps, these were the foundations of their relationship, not just the arrangement.

Suddenly, he remembers the comment his sensei said to him the day she gave the homework.

_*Flashback*_

_"Manta-kun, it's just love. Observe... and then write." _

_*End of Flashback*_

Looking back at the couple, he suddenly felt it, the deep and shared love between the two.

He shakes his head and says, "No. It's not as simple as that."

Moments later, he remembers his original goal and run towards the school again, too long has he stared at the romantic scene.

The week passed and finally, it was time to submit their work. Manta submitted his work ahead of time and as a result, it was read first.

At the end of class, his teacher beckoned him to come.

"This is excellent Manta! Well done!"

"Thank you, Sensei." Manta sighs. "After doing this, I realized, how utterly difficult it was to understand love, much less notice it in the first place."

She looks at him curiously, urging him to continue.

"Love exists in too many forms, so much that it gets so confusing!" He pauses. "Sensei, I really don't think that you should say _just love_ because it's much more than that."

She smiles, chuckling along her young student. "Then, I stand corrected."

Manta does a quick bow before leaving the classroom. With the smile still in place, she shuffles around for a pen and promptly writes a single letter on Manta's sheet.

"A"

~End~


End file.
